Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

First sentence: As Mr. Collins called a start to the Woman's Friend editorial meeting, to anyone watching, it was a perfectly normal Monday-morning affair.

Premise/plot: Yours Cheerfully is the sequel to Dear Mrs. Bird. Both books are set in London (for the most part) during the Second World War. This book is set in the fall/winter of 1941. Emmy Lake, our heroine, managed to keep her job at the magazine Woman's Friend despite some issues that came to light in the previous book. She spends most of this second book not as an advice columnist (if she still does the advice column, she never once shares the letters) but as a journalist writing a series of stories on women factory workers. She makes friends with a handful of workers. Not just smile and nod acquaintances but get up all in your business friendships. She takes it upon herself to agitate (stir things up) the workers and convince them to risk it all for the chance of better working conditions. This isn't just a story to cover. This becomes a dear and precious cause to her. She even risks missing her own wedding (to a soldier) to cover this story.

My thoughts: I really did enjoy Dear Mrs. Bird. I did not enjoy Yours Cheerfully nearly as much. I did not feel that there was much further character development. And the relationship development was practically non-existent. True, I think it's the readers who are left behind on this one--not Emmy Lake. She's 100% in love with Charles Collins. Not a doubt in her mind about that. But this reader at least, felt that Emmy and Charles' relationship was a little lacking in development. I never really felt like I got to know Charles. Perhaps the romance is inconsequential. Maybe the book exists not as historical romance per se but as historical fiction with the focus almost exclusively on friendships between the women. That is a distinct possibility. If so, I found these friendships to be a little too insta(nt) for me. Like you take public transit and suddenly become near instant besties with a couple of women sitting near you. Granted, maybe some people do make best friends like that--and accumulate dozens if not hundreds of friends--just that quickly.

I did get some North and South vibes--not in terms of romance--but in terms of an opinionated woman so confident and sure that she had all the answers on how to better run (or manage) a factory.

Maybe Emmy Lake was supposed to come across as fierce and strong and independent. I just thought her pushiness might get the other women into serious trouble. Her "helpfulness" might lead to true destitution for women already living in poverty if she wasn't extremely lucky.

I enjoyed sequel to Dear Mrs. Bird, which gave the main character a chance to expand her talents in the world of magazine publishing. I look forward to more titles in this series.

Having loved the first in this series, I was eager to read this second installment. It did not disappoint. Relatable, likable characters embroiled in the trials of the time period, made for an enjoyable, compelling read.

This second book in the Emmy Lake series, following on from Dear Mrs. Bird, shows a somewhat more mature Emmy in her new role with more responsibility, being the sole writer of the "Cheerfully Yours" advice column. The problems she addresses cover a much broader scope as the war progresses.. She's invited to attend meetings where the editors are exhorted to help recruit more women to war work. In order to write about it, she ventures out to meet those already engaged in that work. This takes her into a world she has never seen, and the crusader in her comes to the fore. To me, this gave this gave the story more substance than the previous one, and I enjoyed it somewhat more. Having said that, this really is a lighter story than many others describing the work and role of women during WWII, but insightful nonetheless.

It was a pleasure to once again be apart of Emmeline Lake’s adventures set in World War 2 London. I was pleased that this coming of age story features a more mature Emmy who’s making the most of her second chance at being a professional journalist. The plight of working mom’s who struggle to find childcare while the work to provide for their families and do their part for the war effort added interest to Emmy’s story as a fiancé. friend and feminist. A heartwarming read and a worth while contribution to World War 2 home front fiction. I look forward to more books in the series.

I didn’t realize this was a sequel until the end, so I would recommend this book to everyone, not just those who read the first. I loved the idea of a women’s column during the war, and I loved our heroine and her struggle for acceptance and equality in a male dominated field.

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. A heartwarming story about women's conditions during World War II. It was an enjoyable read but can't say it was my favorite. I'll recommend to friends that are interested in time period. I'd also be interested in a sequel to continue on learning about the characters.

Yours Cheerfully by A. J. Pearce is a feel good historical fiction filled to the brim with charm. Yours Cheerfully is the sequel to the charming Dear Mrs. Bird. This novel is predictable from the very start but the character's are delightful and the scenarios do evoke an emotion from me. Yours Cheerfully picks up 6 days after the events that happened in Dear Mrs. Bird. You do not have to read Dear Mrs. Bird to understand Yours Cheerfully, but there's a lot of events that keep getting referenced like how Bunty lost Bill and got her limp, but being vague abut how they happened and other nuances, which is the reason I would recommend you read Dear Mrs. Bird first. Yours Cheerfully is a well paced book that adds humor, romance, and good moments of female empowerment to move the story along. The Climax is predictable but with one really sweet surprise that just melted my heart. I liked Dear Mrs. Bird more than Yours Cheerfully but all the elements that I liked from Dear Mrs. Bird are in Yours Cheerfully, the biggest difference is predictability in storytelling. I read Yours Cheerfully thanks to Netgalley and Scribner publishing. Yours Cheerfully by A. J. Pearse was published on 10-29 21.

Plot Summary: Emmyline has just been busted by answering unpublished pretending to be advice columnist Mrs. Bird. Emmyline felt compelled to answer since Mrs. Bird did not want messy question about the impending war she only wanted domestic questions. Mrs Bird quits leaving the paper in the lurch and starts a Yours Cheerfully section with Emmyline answering those difficult questions. The War Ministry reaches out to Woman's Friend magazine to create articles to promote women joining the war effort. On a chance occurrence she meets Anne a mother with 2 kids who has joined a new factory for the military, and wants to do a piece on a real person working in the factory. Trouble arises when the factory isn't benefitting it's single and widowed mother. Emmyline wants to help but will she risk her career and her newspapers integrity to help.

What I Liked: Just how charming this little story is. I feel this is a Hallmark movie in the making or very well could be one. Bunty was my favorite character from Dear Mrs. Bird and remains so in this book as well, she is so fun and happy even though she could be bitter at life and everything it has taken from her. I love the reveal for Bunty's character toward the end that put a tear to my eye. The little moment of humor were great and for the most part all worked to give me a chuckle. I loved some of the moments of confrontation and how it was dealt with at the time in polite society.

What I Disliked: Just how predictable the story was, and I get that some might not see this as a negative, but I want to be surprised at where the narrative was going. This book does have one or two nice reveals that I did not see coming, so it was not without any surprises, but I knew every beat of this story 30 pages in.

Recommendations: Yours Cheerfully despite it predictable storyline will win you over in pleasantness and charm. Those who enjoy predictable plot lines will enjoy it more. If you were a fan of Dear Mrs. Bird then you have to read it's charming sequel. I rated Yours Cheerfully by A. J. Pearce 4 out of 5 stars. If there is a third Emmyline Lake book I will gladly take another trip.

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for a copy of this historical fiction. This is the second book of the series and can be read as a stand alone. I did not read the first book and didn’t feel lost at all.

I enjoyed that the book focused on working mothers and their lack of support from the government during the war. All the main characters were likable. I enjoyed seeing the important role women played in WWII.

This is apparently book 2 in a series - The Emmy Lake Chronicles. I enjoyed it so much, I will definitely be reading the first book, Dear Mrs. Bird.

This is lovely historical fiction, well researched and a different spin on the World War II historical fiction that I’ve been reading. This is focused on the women back home, not those that went out in the field.

Emmy Lake is working at the Woman’s Friend Magazine. She is tasked with the job of helping to recruit women to go to work for the war effort. With so many men off fighting the war, they need women to step in and fill their shoes.

The story is charming and brings the perfect balance of fact and fiction. Heartwarming story of friendship and the power of women.

I was given a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Yours Cheerfully is a continuation of the story in Dear Mrs. Bird (which I loved). We continue to hear the story of Emmie and Bunty and Emmie's beau, Charles. The war is ongoing, and Emmie still works at Women's Friend magazine. The war office asks magazines to help recruit women for war work. While Emmie is writing a story on women working in bomb factories, she finds the struggles the ladies are trying to overcome to support the war work (a women's bathroom, daycare, benefits, etc., a good wage.). I love a story that is entertaining and that I learn from. Highly recommend. #Netgalley #YoursCheerfully #AJPearce

If you like sweet and sentimental WWII novels about young women in London, this is for you - the title says it all. Yours Cheerfully is the follow-up to Dear Mrs. Bird and it maintains the twee manner of speech and somehow is even more light-hearted. No real nail biting going on unless you're concerned about having two important things scheduled for the same day and one of those things is a wedding.

Thankfully, the author has removed the unrealistic (to me) conflict in Dear Mrs. Bird (by not having Mrs. Bird in this book). Emmy and Bunty are still best friends. Emmy and Charles are still ever so in love. And this time, rather than writing an agony column, Emmy is covering the story of women working for the war effort and the difficulties they face - namely the lack of child care.

Talk about timely! Thanks to COVID, the issue of child care and juggling work and home has been brought to everyone's attention. So, in 80 years nothing much has changed. Well, that's bleak.

I think this will be it for me for this series. I didn't hate it, but I didn't even come close to loving it.

My thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I accepted the widget for Yours Cheerfully before reading Dear Mrs. Bird. Now having completed Dear Mrs. Bird, I don't think Yours Cheerfully is for me so I won't be reviewing it. The story in Dear Mrs. Bird was too sickly sweet overall for me that I can't read another story like that again.

I really enjoyed Dear Mrs. Bird and was excited to learn there was a second book in the series. It's similarly charming, but I wasn't in the headspace for a historical fiction read so didn't enjoy it as much as I might have otherwise.

I loved the first book in the Emmy Lake Chronicles series, Dear Mrs. Bird. So I was excited at the opportunity to read this book. While the atrocities of WWII are still threaded throughout the pages, the author helps lighten the mood with humor and delightful characters. The characters are well developed and I love the relationships that grow between them … both new and previous friends. Emmy is an amazing and strong individual. It was a pleasure to see her continue to mature, grow, and meet the challenges she faces daily. Kudos to the author for her ability to balance the difficulties experienced during WWII with lighthearted wit and a deep wisdom. I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

3.5 stars

I definitely enjoyed this sequel much more than the first book, Dear Mrs. Bird, which I had read right before this one. While the story continued more or less where the first one left off and the characters were all the same (with the exception of Mrs. Bird of course), I think I took to this book better perhaps because I kind of knew what to expect already — and perhaps that’s also why I found the main character Emmy Lake a little less annoying this time around (though yes, she did still frustrate me at certain points).

With Mrs Bird’s departure from Women’s Friend magazine (not a spoiler, as it’s in the book summary and she’s already gone when the story opens), Mr. Collins has been promoted to Editor (no surprise there either, lol). After what happened at the end of the first book, Emmy is back with the magazine again, but on a probationary basis. While the magazine’s advice column continues to be a focus, the crux of the story this time around is on the government’s call to all of Britain’s women’s magazines to help recruit female workers for the war effort. As Emmy immerses herself in this task, she meets a few of the women who work at the munitions factories and soon realizes that, while they are all happy to contribute to the effort, there are real-life challenges they face that makes the war work much more difficult for them. When Emmy learns about their plight, she of course steps in and tries to help them any which way she can.

I think the direction that the author A.J. Pearce took with the story as well as with the characters this time around made so much more sense than the first book. I’m not sure how best to put it, but I felt like most of Emmy’s actions in the first book were too over the top, to the point that it felt unrealistic and contrived. With this second go around though, her actions were more in line with her role in the sense that it made sense for her to constantly insert herself in situations, but in a more tempered way. Just for the record…I don’t have a problem with Emmy’s personality — in fact, I like the way her character was headstrong, curious, assertive, and always willing to stand up for what she believed in as well as help others, which was especially significant given the time period — what I actually had a problem with was the “bull in a china shop” approach that she seemed to apply to every single situation, especially at work. For example, in the first book, Emmy’s job as a newbie at the magazine was to open letters and give them to her boss to review and type up a response, however because she doesn’t like the restrictive (and rude) nature of her boss’s responses, she decides to take matters into her own hands by deliberately defying her boss’s instructions and writing letters to readers on her own (as well as sneaking some of her letters into the magazine itself). While it’s fine to disagree and question how her boss does things, it’s not fine, especially in her position, to go in and start changing things on her own (obviously, there were more rational ways to approach the situation than the way she did). In the second book, I assume because she has learned her lesson, Emmy’s approach was a little more mature and above board (and as I mentioned earlier, definitely less grating on my nerves). I point all this out because I appreciate seeing characters grow and evolve in stories and even though in this case, it took a sequel for it to happen, I’m still glad to see it.

For those who read and loved Dear Mrs. Bird, I definitely recommend picking this one up, as I believe you’ll love it just as much as the first (maybe even more). For those like me who may not have been a fan of the first book, I still recommend reading this one, as it did put the first book into better perspective for me (even though it didn’t change my feelings overall toward the story and characters).

Received ARC from Scribner via NetGalley.

I’d like to say I loved Yours Cheerfully as much as I loved Dear Mrs. Bird, but I can’t. The book is a fine read, but lacking a charm that I found in A.J. Pearce’s earlier book in the Emmy Lake Chronicles. I also found the ending to be a little kitsch – even if it ended with a women’s rights march and an exciting race to the alter.

Your Cheerfully continues where Dear Mrs. Bird, left off (sans Mr. Bird). It is WWII, circa post Blitz and the focus is on the women, wives and mothers, who work in munitions factories (and other factories aiding in the war effort). It is about the highly motivated and patriotic women workers who raise their banners high in support of their troops, but also need the money to keep home and family together while their husbands are at war. The women are basically taken for granted – filling the jobs of men at inferior salaries and under inferior conditions (at the risk of sounding snarky, I might add, “so what else is new”).

While Emmy is championing the Women’s War Effort, she is also planning her marriage to Charles. I felt little depth or heat between Emmy and her betrothed – although I was warmed by friends and family who despite hard times and rationing, each brought something dear to make the wedding a true celebration.

Both DMB and YC deal with serious topics, there was more charm and humor in the former.

Thank you NetGalley and Scribner for an ARC of Your Cheerfully. It was a fine read.

When I heard there was going to be a sequel to the original book, Dear Mrs. Bird, I was so excited. This book definitely did not disappoint. I would highly recommend both of these books to a number of people.

Yours, Cheerfully takes us on the journey of a young, up and coming female wartime advice columnist. I loved this historical fiction novel and seeing women get involved with the war efforts, while also learning about the challenges that female war workers faced during the time and how they rallied together to fight these challenges.